Schools and Departments
How do you want to make your impact on your community and society?
Explore our academic program areas and degree options.
Child and Adolescent Development
The bachelor of arts degree in child and adolescent development (CAD) is designed for students interested in studying child and youth development and who wish to apply this knowledge in settings that serve children, youth and their families. The CAD major provides theoretical and practical knowledge about child and youth development from an interdisciplinary and applied perspective.
Counseling
Culturally competent, psychologically minded and emotionally grounded licensed psychotherapists, credentialed school counselors, certified rehabilitation counselors, career counselors, college counselors and gerontological counselors are needed in the field of human services. The department’s six graduate programs, its undergraduate minor in counseling and its partnerships with community agencies collaboratively prepare students who are well-grounded to help meet the growing demands in the field.
Criminal Justice Studies
Drawing upon a rich urban environment, the multidisciplinary program in criminal justice studies explores the connections between law, crime and justice. The curriculum emphasizes critical thinking about the administration of justice, crime and delinquency, legal studies and working with diverse communities. As part of the major, students participate in a culminating field experience at the end of their program. The program is intended for a diverse group of students whose interests range from the local to the global, from street crime to terrorism, from municipal policing to international courts.
Visit Criminal Justice Studies
Family Interiors Nutrition and Apparel
The Family Interiors Nutrition and Apparel (FINA) Department provides experiential programs focused on empowering individuals and strengthening families, communities and the institutions which serve them. With a commitment to social justice and a goal of improving the quality of life within a dynamic and diverse environment, curricula include programs in apparel design and merchandising, nutrition, dietetics, child and family studies and interior design.
Kinesiology
Students receive a comprehensive, high-quality education in kinesiology and are encouraged to be physically active and develop fitness and skill in a variety of activities. Graduates leave the program prepared to pursue further graduate study or to embark on careers in fitness, physical education, coaching, community programming, sports medicine, sport management and the broad field of allied health.
Nursing
The School of Nursing aims to motivate and educate undergraduate and graduate nursing students to meet the health care needs of individuals, families and communities. We are committed to educating nurses who serve diverse populations with a focus on social and environmental justice and health equality. Using various educational modalities that include state of the art information technologies, students learn how to provide safe, quality patient-centered care.
Physical Therapy
The three year entry level Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is offered jointly with the University of California, San Francisco. Our three-year, 36 month program begins in June and includes 34 weeks of full-time clinical experiences. The DPT program is designed to prepare scholarly clinicians, educators, collaborative clinical researchers, administrative managers and community leaders. The program accepts 50 students each year.
Public Health
The mission of the Department of Public Health is to promote health and health equity at the individual, community and structural levels through transformative education, research, scholarship and service, all of which value diversity, engage communities and are grounded in cultural humility.
Public Affairs & Civic Engagement
The School of Public Affairs & Civic Engagement (PACE) is a collaborative interdisciplinary unit of public affairs-oriented scholars that delivers degree programs in Gerontology, Public Administration, and Urban Studies & Planning. Students in these programs are immersed in a problem-oriented learning environment that extends beyond the classroom and into the community, the public arena, and the world.
Recreation, Parks & Tourism and Holistic Health Studies
The Recreation, Parks & Tourism (RPT) Department and Holistic Health (HH) Studies Program at SFSU offers unique educational programs for the next generation of professionals in parks and outdoor recreation, complementary medicine, workplace and community wellness, adventure, eco and leisure tourism and mind-body healing. Join our programs to participate in local and global learning experiences. Gain a deeper understanding of health, healing and well-being from diverse perspectives. By combining innovative, science-based education with hands-on learning experiences, RPT and HH students are some of the most employable and prepared graduates across the globe.
Visit Recreation, Parks and Tourism
Social Work
The School of Social Work provides educational foundations that promote just communities, societies, and global networks, as well as fosters leadership, scholarship, and activism, to achieve equity and social justice. Our students’ educational experience is grounded in developing a critical consciousness, which informs their knowledge base as practitioners, leaders, activists, and scholars. Our graduates are expected to enhance the social functioning and interactions of individuals, families, and groups, as well as organizations and communities through a variety of practice methods.
Visit the School of Social Work
Sociology and Sexuality Studies
The Sociology program provides students with the theoretical and methodological skills needed to better understand, critique, and contribute to the worlds in which they live. Students study in small groups with faculty who are engaged teachers, scholars and activists. The major prepares students for a broad range of career paths including employment in community-based organizations, local governments, human service agencies, and research settings.
SFSU is a pioneer in sexuality teaching and research in the United States with a 50-year history of advocating and teaching sexuality education, sexual literacy and social justice for all people.
Visit Sociology and Sexuality Studies
Special Programs
Criminal Justice Studies Online Bachelor's Degree Completion
This 100 percent online program is designed for students who have 60 transferable credits and are looking for a flexible way to finish their degree. Students can complete their degree online in just four semesters.
Learn more about CJS Online Bachelor's Degree Completion